Worcester Business Journal

12 Worcester Business Journal | May 1, 2017 | wbjournal.com F OC U S C O L L E G E S & U N I V E R S I T I E S Bringing higher ed to the masses QCC president-elect draws on career, upbringing to provide education to populations most in need H aving grown up in Cuba, attending school in the United States as a boy who knew almost no English, and later being the first in his family to go to college, Luis Pedraja has dedicated his career helping people like him get an education. "Higher education was able to trans- form my life and open opportunities and doors for me, and I want to pay it forward," Pedraja said in an interview at Quinsigamond Community College, where he is poised to become the new president following the end of the school year. "I want to help others who are like me: first-generation, or people who may be from low-income families, people who are recent immigrants, even adults who feel like life passed them by, they've missed the opportunity and had to go to work, and feel they wish they had gone to college and weren't able," he said. Pedraja was appointed last month by the college's board of trustees and hasn't waited until formal state Board of Higher Education approval to start his work at QCC. He spent time on cam- pus in April while in the area house- hunting and started laying the ground- work for his tenure, including working with Gail Carberry as she wraps up 10 years as QCC president. Pedraja said he was attracted to QCC by its stable leadership under Carberry and the potential he saw in the college. "I thought this might be a good place to live, to raise my daughter," he said of his 13-year-old. Reaching more students The QCC board of trustees felt he was someone who understands the social justice mission of the community col- lege, said Sue Mailman, the trustees president. "Any time change happens, it brings new thinking and excitement," Mailman said. "We're looking forward to having his background and exper- tise in higher ed, and to having his family move to Worcester and be part of our community." Pedraja will join QCC at a time when it and most other Massachusetts com- munity colleges are seeing enrollment fall from a peak during the Greater Recession, when members of the work- force returned to school for additional training as available jobs were limited. QCC's enrollment has declined by nearly 12 percent from the 2011-'12 BY GRANT WELKER Worcester Business Journal Digital Editor 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 0 10,000 20000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 '06 -'07 '08-'09 '10-'11 '12-'13 '15-'16 '07-'08 '09-'10 '11-'12 '13-'14 '16-'17 '06 -'07 '08-'09 '10-'11 '12-'13 '15-'16 '07-'08 '09-'10 '11-'12 '13-'14 '16-'17 Full-time enrollment Full-time enrollment Quinsigamond Community College Massachusetts community colleges 58,597 5,241 Note: Enrollment is counted as full-time students Source: Mass. Department of Higher Education The number of full-time students at QCC peaked six years ago, although enrollment is still above its pre-recession levels. QCC enrollment Luis Pedraja, the president-elect at Quinsigamond Community College, visited campus after his selection with his family to house shop. He said he was attracted to the job by its stable leadership. P H O T O S / Q C C

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